Alastair Wilson said that regardless of price, for alcoholics with serious problems, where there's the will there's the way

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As Nottingham searches for solutions to its alcohol problems, Chris Breese and Emily Winsor asked problem drinkers what they drink – and if price is the problem

GO in almost any off licence or supermarket in Nottingham with £4 and you can leave with a bottle of cider containing enough alcohol to exceed a man's recommended daily limit for a week.

This is what a Post survey of several city centre shops showed yesterday.

Our test came the day after city health experts called for minimum pricing on drink to curb the city's addiction to strong booze. They say cheap strong booze including cider is often fuelling the addiction of the city's worst alcoholics.

But problem drinkers claim any national minimum price per unit law would make little difference.

Alastair Wilson, who has drunk heavily for 10 years, said how much money he has affects how much he buys, but for alcoholics with serious problems, where there's the will there's the way.

The 26-year-old, of Aspley, said: "People will just find the money to get it anyway.

"If someone wants to drink like they are an alcoholic it won't stop them, they'll just go out robbing.

"I will drink anything really – cider because it gets you a bit ratted. I'm trying to drink less but the environment I'm in – I've lost my grandad, my uncle, my auntie's partner, recently – has made me go off the rails. I drink every day – how much depends on the money."

He says he is going to see his doctor about his drinking and will buy alcohol from shops and supermarkets.

He added: "I don't think there is anything they can do with the law to make people drink less."

Although he admits to believing he is an alcoholic, he says he is against street drinking in the city centre. He added: "I do it because it chills me out and makes me forget about my problems."

Peter Briggs, 28, who lives in London Road, says he drinks about seven litres of 7.5 per cent alcohol cider a day and has tried to stop.

He said: "A minimum price will bring crime up because some alcoholics are going to go out and want to drink anyway."

He says he ended up drinking at this level after lapsing into drinking every day and admits he is an alcoholic.

"I'm not bothered about quitting. I don't feel like I'm ready, my mindset is not right. At some point I will be ready. I've had gaps in between but most of the time I am a constant drinker.

"I'll know I'm ready when I know I've got a conscience and I'll think then 'yeah, I can't be doing this any more'. It's rotting away my liver and pancreas and I know there's a problem."

Last April, as part of efforts to get the city back on the wagon, NHS Nottingham City opened the Last Orders service. It provides a one-stop shop for anyone who is worried about their drinking, based at the 8 till 8 Health Care Centre in Upper Parliament Street.

Anyone can walk in without an appointment and get a consultation on the day, with 1,600 people visiting in the first 12 months.

Caroline Thomson, who manages the service, said: "We see everyone from someone sitting at home drinking too much wine to people who already have very serious health problems. We see people bringing in relatives who are completely yellow because they have end stage liver disease and we have to call an ambulance straight away."

Recently, she says, a 23-year-old woman approached the service for help. But her problem was already so severe she died of end stage liver disease.

Ms Thomson added: "We've been surprised by the complexity of it but pleased that people who are just drinking at home every night are accessing the service."

Anyone concerned about their drinking can contact the Last Orders service on 0115 9709590 or call at the 8 till 8 Health Care NEMS building in Upper Parliament Street.

Comments

There are many variables, and many more than I mentioned, but it won't stop those intent on drinking strong beers, and they will still be a drain on the NHS irrespective of what views we all have, the figures!!! we have to wait and see what transpires as with so many things.

Fair enough but I reckon that the revenue from the price increase, the reduced strain on the NHS, the redeployment of cops from violence and disorder to shop theft, smuggling and fraud, and the long term social benefits woud easily balance those issues in the long run.

From my perspective there are many issues, first we have the issue of illegal mass importation which deprives the treasury of revenue, in addition it costs to detect these illegal imports and resources will be diverted from elsewhere. So, do we cut down on detecting illegal immigrants or drug importers.
With such a massive price rise we will get drinkers drinking less, this will hit the breweries, wholesalers, and pubs alike, they will shut pubs and lose many other jobs in everything from brewing to transport, so job losses and more claiming benefits, another burdon to the system.
Mass illegal brewing will doubtless follow that of illegal spirits and they will use industrial chemicals which will doubtless be dangerous to health, many will be tempted to buy this illegally brewed booze and we will be storing up costly issues for the NHS for many more people in the future. Obviously this has cost implications.
What of the drinkers themselves, if they are addicted they will buy what they can afford and merely steal the rest, so an upsurge in crime and more Police resources will be put into detecting these crimes, and other areas will suffer.

It will merely create a black market for booze, we will see the same scenario with illegally imported strong beers, and a surge in criminals brewing fake beers which like the fake spirits, will be harmful to those drinking it through industrial chemicals being used.